Sunday, August 29, 2010

Matt Cain pitches well, Giants win anyway

Starting pitcher:
M.C. O'Connor

Matt Cain made six starts in August, throwing 39 innings and giving up 36 hits and 16 runs, earning 2 wins, 2 losses, and 2 no-decisions. August was Matt's best month since May (44-2/3, 23 hits, 10 runs), and the low walk (7) and high strikeout (38) totals had to help. If the Giants were looking for a starting pitcher to "step up" and deliver the goods, they found one, going 4-2 with Cain on the mound this month (12-14 overall). Cain threw 30 pitches in the first inning and loaded the bases but managed to get three strikeouts and escape without a run being scored. He even got a hit on a bunt in the 3rd and pulled off a successful "butcher-boy" in the 4th. Unfortunately, Matt used up all of his daily allotted good fortune as the bullpen could not hold a 5-2 lead with one on and one out in the 7th and the quality start went--it seemed--for naught. It should have been a crisp, routine win, but our bullpen is a bit shaky, and three guys gave up four runs. Fortunately, the Giants bounced back against Arizona's truly wretched bullpen. The Giants then called on rusty Brian Wilson to get the last five outs and he was the difference-maker. Freddy Sanchez had three more hits today--he has 20 hits in his last 10 games. Jose Guillen got a big hit, Aubrey Huff had a hit and a walk and scored twice, and Andres Torres chipped in two hits, two runs, and two RBI. The Phils sweep the Pads so the Giants gain one in the West race and lose one in the Wild Card.

2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Nice, sloppy, scary, spectacular victory! Too bad Guillen is guaranteed a start for the next week in RF over Ross. August is almost over and although I'm hella scared of college starting soon, the Giants may play better. Oh well. Best wishes for all of us. Go Giants!

One thing is for certain, this is a team that could never be accused of complacency. Lots of hot and cold, lots of nailbiters. First great pitching but no hitting, then an offensive juggernaut with shaky pitching. The team's bipolar.If anyone cares, the Grizzlies dropped 4 out of five to the R Cats and have fallen into 2nd in the standings. In keeping with my irrational interest in former Giants, one of the games featured a pitching matchup between Waldis Joaquin and Brett Tomko, which also satisfied my appetite for funny names.Rohlinger has a hot bat. Runzler pitched the 8th yesterday and got the L.